Love poems from God. Tukaram Gatha Abhanga 35 - Amhi sadaiva sudake - आम्ही सदैव सुडके

Tukaram Gatha Abhanga 35

आम्ही सदैव सुडके । जवळीं येतां चोर धाके ।

जाऊं पुढें भिकें । कुतरीं घर राखिती ।।१।।
नांदणुक ऐसी सांगा । नाहीं तरी वायां भागा ।

थोरपण अंगा । तरी ऐसें आणावें ।।२।।
अक्षई साचार । केलें सायासांनी घर ।
एरंडासी हार । दुजा भार न साहती ।।३।।
धन कण घरोघरीं । पोट भरे भिकेवरी ।
जतन तीं करी । कोण गुरें वासरें ।।४।।
जाली सकळ निश्चिंती । भांडवल शेण माती ।

झळझळीत भिंती । वृंदावनें तुळसीचीं ।।५।।

तुका म्हणे देवा । अवघा निरविला हेवा ।
कुटुंबाची सेवा । तोचि करी आमुच्या ।।६।।

English

1. Aamhee sadaiv sudake, javalee yetaa chor dhaake

Jaau pudhe bhike, kutaree ghar rakhitee

2. Naandanuk aisee sangaa, nahee taree vayaa bhagaa

Thorapan angaa, taree aise aanave

3. Akshaya sachaar, kele sayasannee ghar

Erandasee haar, dujaa bhaar na saahatee

4. Dhan kan gharogharee, pot bhare bhikevaree

Jatan tee karee, kon gure vaasare

5. Jalee sakal nishchintee, bhandaval shen matee

Zalazaleet bhintee, vrundaavane tulasichee

6. Tukaa mhane devaa, avaghaa niravilaa hevaa

Kutumbachee sevaa, tochee karee aamuchya.

Translation

In this abhanga, Saint Tukaram is describing how detached he has become from material possessions and how he is experiencing the protection from God, as promised by Him in 'Bhagawat gita'.

1. We are very poor and therefore we are very fortunate! Thieves do not come to our house and even if they come, they themselves get scared and run away. When we go out to beg for food, dogs project our house.
   (Meaning there is nothing to protect in our house. Tukoba is referring to himself as 'we'. This is one style of writing in Marathi language. It is customary for a serious seeker of God to fill his stomach with whatever food he can get as alms from other people's houses. He is supposed to stay hungry if nothing is obtained during their daily round to seek food. They seek just enough for the day. They are not allowed to store anything. The thinking behind this is that they should rely completely on God for their bare minimum food needs and devote their time to God Realization alone).
2. Can you show me anyone else as fortunate as us? All of you are endlessly running around and getting exhausted without any real gain. If you would like to reach a height like us, then copy us.
3. We have built this everlasting and real house (my pure, chaste and rich mind). We have used two very light varieties of wood for building it because it would not have been able to take the weight of any other heavy wood (Erand and Sher, in Marathi language. Their wood is very light).
4. Our wealth and agricultural produce has filled the houses of other people whereas we go out and beg for food to fill up our stomach. We do not take the burden of maintaining a stable of farm animals (like bullocks, cows and calves. This activity is required for farming and growing food grains).
5. We are completely assured about everything and have cast aside all mental burdens. Now, our only capital is clay and cowdung (meaning we are penniless and have only basic possessions like a clean mind).  We have given a thin coating of clay and cowdung paste on the walls of our house. We have also grown a holy Basil plant (Tulsi) at an auspicious place at the entrance of our house.
   (It is an old custom to coat the Indian clay house walls with a thin coating of clay and cowdung every day. It works like a disinfectant and keeps the air clean. Here Saint Tukaram is referring to his clean and pure mind as his house).
6. Tuka says, God has relieved me from greed for all objects of senses' gratification. He is also taking complete care of our entire family.

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With this I take your leave. Hope you liked it!!

Thanks for listening!

If you want to know 'Saint Tukaram' as a great lover of God, you may like go to the first abhanga posted on this facebook page on 18th July and start studying the Tukaram Gatha from the beginning!

Thanks!

Deepak Phadnis.

1. Link for abhanga on youTube channel 'Deepak Phadnis', on which you can find all the short videos of the abhangas uploaded so far. Link to one abhanga: Abhanga 4: Naye tuj jari

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ8CGofME_A

You may like to subscribe to the YouTube channel if you wish to study the Gatha at a comfortable pace. We are planning to upload more videos after overcoming certain constraints in production of good quality videos.